Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson who has not played in all but one game during the 2014 NFL season due to legal troubles, is reportedly considering retirement after the NFL denied his reinstatement appeal last week.

Peterson is thinking about hanging up his cleats after the NFL denied his reinstatement appeal on Dec. 14, per ESPN. NFL executive Harold Henderson, whom commissioner Roger Goodell appointed to act as arbitrator in Peterson's case, issued the ruling. Henderson said Peterson "has not demonstrated that the process and procedures surrounding his discipline were not fair and consistent."

Peterson voiced his displeasure in a phone interview with ESPN Minnesota Vikings reporter Ben Goessling on Dec. 12. The Vikings running back and 2012 NFL MVP felt he was treated unfairly, citing the example of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who was reinstated by the league earlier this month:

"I feel like they're handling the situation absolutely wrong. I think I've been made an example out of. It kind of baffles me how -- I have nothing but love for Ray Rice, I'm happy he has the chance to play. But it's like, how did Ray Rice gets reinstated before me, a team has a chance to pick him up, but I don't have the opportunity to come back until April. When has that happened in any other case in the NFL, ever?"

Peterson will appeal his case in federal court, the ESPN report adds.

The same update uploaded a statement from the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), which also expressed its disappointment over the outcome of Peterson's appeal. The NFLPA claims the ruling ignored three things: facts, evidence and the collective bargaining agreement. The statement also stressed on the league's "inconsistent treatment of its players."

The NFLPA eventually filed a lawsuit against the NFL on Peterson's behalf on Monday, "petitioning the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis to nullify an arbitrator's decision to uphold a six-game suspension of the Vikings' all-time rushing leader," says John Shipley of The St. Paul Pioneer Press.

The NFLPA also claims the league took on a stronger stance on Peterson as an answer to Goodell's questionable two-game suspension on Rice, who was caught on camera striking his then-fiancee Janay Palmer in a New Jersey elevator casino in February. Goodell eventually made it an indefinite suspension, only to have his decision overturned by District Court judge Barbara S. Jones, Shipley stresses.

Peterson has yet to play since Week 1 of the 2014 NFL season due to child abuse charges in Texas. Peterson reportedl used a wooden switch to discipline his four-year-old son. He eventually reached a plea deal which prevented him from spending time in jail, per ESPN.

Goodell then suspended Peterson for the rest of the season on Nov. 18. With this, Peterson will not be eligible for reinstatement until April 15. However, "he will get to keep the money accrued while on the exempt list," ESPN adds.

Peterson also won't be suspended for the first three games of the NFL season, as was earlier reported. Instead, he will be charged game checks equal to six games played in the 2014 season amounting to $4.15 million, per ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Peterson's teammate and Vikings fullback Jerome Felton toldThe St. Paul Pioneer Press' Chris Tomasson on Monday that the league did what it did "to further punish him." Felton feels the ruling "doesn't make any sense."

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